New York City Popfest 2009

Its getting on that time of year again when the NYC Popfest invades the area. The lineup, like past years, is nothing less than awesome. The event takes place from Thursday May 14 to Sunday May 17th, which ends as an all day event at NYC’s Cake Shop (we love that place!).

 Amongst the bands performing this year are Casper and the Cookies, Pants Yell!, Burning Hearts, The Icicles, The Radio Dept., Boy Genius and more. The Friday night show at Don Hill’s and the Saturday night show at the Bell House will also have an ‘Indie Dance Party’ after the bands play. Hey, even us indie folks have to dance sometimes, right?

We’ve already got our tickets and are most excited about seeing Georgia’s own Casper and the Cookies on Sunday night. Little factoid for you; Jason Nesmith the singer and guitarist of Casper used to play in Of Montreal.

And speaking of Casper and the Cookies, if you want to be involved with something exciting that afternoon send us a message or comment. We could use your help. Its going to be an afternoon of filming fun. (secret for now but we’ll let it out eventually!)

Learn more about NYC Popfest and buy tickets on their MYSPACE

NYC POPFEST 2009 LINEUP

Thursday May 14th
Venue: Cake Shop
Tickets $ 10

Knight School (NYC)
Soft City (NYC)
Dream Bitches (NYC)
The Metric Mile (NYC)
My Teenage Stride (NYC)
THE BALLET (NYC)

* * * * * * * * * *

Friday May 15th
Venue: Don Hills

Don Lennon (NYC)
The Tartans (CA)
( band T.B.A. )
Liechtenstein (SWEDEN)
CATS ON FIRE (FINLAND)

+ Mondo Indie Dance Party

* * * * * * * * * *

Saturday Afternoon FREE show!
Saturday May 16th
Venue: Cake Shop

Steve Goldberg and the Arch Enemies (PA)
Hidden Ghost Balloon Ship (MI)
The Hat Company (OH)
Strega (NYC)

* * * * * * * * * *

Saturday May 16th
Venue: Bell House
Tickets $16 Advance / $ 20 DOS | 18+

Computer Perfection (MI)
Eux Autres (CA)
The Secret History (NYC)
Pants Yell! (MA)
THE RADIO DEPT. (SWEDEN)

+ Indiepop Dance Party

* * * * * * * * * *

Sunday All-Dayer
Sunday May 17th
Venue: Cake Shop

Boy Genius (NYC)
A Faulty Chromosome (TX)
Very Truly Yours (IL)
The Smittens (VT)
Rose Melberg (CANADA)
Afternoon Naps (OH)
The Drums (FL)
The Icicles (MI)
Casper and the Cookies (GA)
Burning Hearts (FINLAND)

Download Little King from Casper and the Cookie’s upcoming album, Modern Silence.

Lollapalooza 2009, We Want to Go There

Lollapalooza’s 2009 lineup has recently been announced, and with 130 bands, it leaves little room to complain. Start saving up now for August’s shows in Chicago which includes such bands as Of Montreal, Kings of Leon, Beastie Boys, Cold War Kids, The Killers, TV on the Radio, Andrew Bird, Vampire Weekend, Decemberists, Neko Case, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, Chairlift, Los Campesinos!, Crystal Castles, Santogold and so many more.  This is perhaps the best Lolla lineup we’ve ever seen.

The tickets run about $190 for all 3 days. Pretty sweet deal if you ask us. See you there hopefully!

For more information go to www.lollapalooza.com

Jon Brion Remixes Of Montreal

Oh, we just love the sound of that title. Jon Brion who is an incredible songwriter and has penned tracks for such movies as ‘I Heart Huckabees’ comes together with everyone’s favorite indie glam group, Of Montreal. This week, Of Montreal will release the ‘Jon Brion Remix’  EP.

The great thing about this upcoming EP is that Jon Brion doesn’t make all of the band’s songs sound absolutely weird. There is nothing more awkward than a remix that mashes up a song so much that it is barely recognizable. Jon Brion remixes every  Of Montreal song beautifully, and keeps what we love most about the band. Themselves.

Tracklisting

1 “First Time High” (Reconstructionist Remix of “An Eluardian Instance”)
2 “First Time High” (Of Chicago Acoustic Version)
3 “Gallery Piece” (Remix)
4 “Gallery Piece” (Long Version)
5 “Gallery Piece” (Instrumental)

Download Of Montreal’s First Time High (Reconstructionist Remix of An Eluardian Instance)

Modern Mystery’s Top 50 Albums of 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Its been a big 2008 for Modern Mystery. We’ve meet some really amazing bands, seen some incredible shows, and made a lot of great friends. We know 2009 will bring even more and we’re very excited!

We have compiled our list of our Top 50 Albums of 2008. Though this was by no means easy, we think we’ve included our all of certain favorites of the year. Below our list you’ll see a few more Top Lists of 2008, so check that out as well.  Hope you like our Top 50 Albums as much as we do!

1. of Montreal- Skeletal Lamping
2. Morning Benders- Talking Through Tin Cans
3. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin-Pershing
4. Miniature Tigers- Tell it to the Volcano
5. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals- Cardinalogy
6. Sloan- Parallel Play
7. MGMT- Oracular Spectacular
8. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band- Self Titled
9. The Spinto Band- Moonwink
10. Okkervil River- The Stand Ins
11. Chairlift- Does You Inspire You?
12. We Are Scientists- Brain Thrust Mastery
13. Tokyo Police Club- Elephant Shell
14. Ra Ra Riot- The Rhumb Line
15. Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s- Animal and Not Animal
16.  Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks- Real Emotional Trash
17. The French Kicks- Swimming
18. The Stills- Oceans Will Rise
19. The Walkmen- You and Me
20. Vampire Weekend- Self Titled
21. Wyldlife- Self Titled
22. Jenny Lewis- Acid Tongue
23. Annuals- Such Fun
24. Ratatat- Lp3
25. The Headlights- Some Racing, Some Stopping
26.  Department of Eagles- In Ear Park
27. Dr. Dog- Fate
28. Born Ruffians- Red Yellow and Blue
29. Los Campesinos- Hold On Now, Youngster
30. The Little Ones- Morning Tide
31. Mason Proper- Olly Oxen Free
32. She & Him- Volume 1
33. Albert  Hammond Jr.- Como te Llama?
34. Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
35. Joan of Arc- Boo Human
36. Deerhoof- Offend Maggie
37. Sam Roberts Band- Love at the End of the World
38. Fleet Foxes- Self Titled
39. Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago
40. Atlas Sound- Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
41. Kings of Leon- Only By the Night
42. M83- Saturdays= Youth
43. Helio Sequence- Keep Your Eyes Ahead
44. Man Man- Rabbit Habits
45. Flight of the Conchords- Self Titled
46. Cold War Kids- Loyalty to Loyalty
47. The Mae Shi- Hlllyh
48. Secret Machines- Selt Titled
49. Santogold- Self Titled
50. Tim Fite- Fair Ain’t Fair

BEST EP OF 2008:
Matt Pond PA- The Freeep

BEST REISSUE OF 2008-
Pavement- Brighten The Corners- Nicence Creedence Edition

BEST LIVE SHOW OF 2008:
Of Montreal at Roseland, NYC. Kevin Barnes on a live white horse? Try to beat that!

TOP 5 NEW BANDS OF 2008:
1. The Morning Benders
2. Miniature Tigers
3. Chairlift
4. MGMT
5. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

Modern Mystery’s Top 10 Music Videos of the Year

The Modern Mystery Year End Lists are finally starting, and here goes the first round. We have compiled our Top 10 Music Videos of the Year to share with you.

1. The Morning Benders- Waiting for a War
This video is what introduced me personally to The Morning Benders. ‘Waiting for a War’ is one of the catchiest songs of the year, with a pretty rad video to go along with it. Anyone who feels like they have a dead end boring job certainly gets this video.

2. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Think I Wanna Die
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin make some of the most amusing videos we have ever seen, and ‘Think I Wanna Die’ takes the top prize. In this video our poor little SSLYBY boys are nearly killed by their soon to be ex-girlfriends. At least they seem to be having a good time while shooting it.

3. Miniature Tigers- Cannibal Queen
The Miniature Tigers won our hearts this year with their super amazing debut ‘Tell it to the Volcano’ but to add even more, they put out a hillarious video for ‘Cannibal Queen’.  Charlie as the ‘deranged little man’, Rick as the ‘cannibal queen’. It just makes for a good laugh to a great song.

4. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band- Souled Out!!!
Its nice to see Mr. Conor Oberst not take himself so seriously for once. ‘Souled Out!!!’ is a superb video that shows off Conor and the band joking around. From riding bikes with Jason Boesel, to playing in a fake snow storm, the fun never stops for these guys. Oh, and the song is extremely good too!
5. MGMT- Electric Feel
There is something about MGMT that just makes you want to dance ALL OF THE TIME. ‘Electric Feel’ is no exception. The video itself is a psychadelic dance party that doesn’t want to end. With robot-bears and flaming motorbikes, you won’t know what to watch first.

 

6. Tim Fite- Big Mistake
We love cartoon videos and we love Tim Fite, so the combination of the two for ‘Big Mistake’ is just perfect. I’m not sure if haunting is the right word, but the video is just that. This isn’t Tim’s big mistake, its his art.

7.M83- Kim and Jesse
Not only is the song so ‘1980s’ sounding, but so is the video. When Kim and Jessie are thrown out of their high school gym practice space when they are rolling skating, they head over to the skate park where apparently the feel more comfortable. Though wearing pink velvet skating suits never looks cozy, this video is pretty rad.

8. Los Campesinos- My Year In Lists
Music videos don’t always have to cost a lot of money and be ‘super fancy’. Sometimes the best videos are the most simple ones that get you acquainted with the band’s music. Los Campesinos video for ‘My Year in Lists’ is just that. Closeups of the band and their instruments is beautiful on its own.

9. of Montreal- Id Engager
of Montreal does it again with another artsy inspired video. Having characters sync one into another is beyond perfect for the song. You actually have no idea what the characters will turn into until it happens. Its a beautifully crafted video.

10. Vampire Weekend- Oxford Comma
Vampire Weekend manages to make the video for ‘Oxford Comma’ look like a mini movie shoot. No matter where the scene in the video turns though, it doesn’t distract from the music. Also stay tuned for the right lower corner at 3:23 when some kid totally falls on his ass. Ouch!

A Modern Mystery Holiday Party with Sakamoto from Elekibass

Welcome to another installment of A Modern Mystery Holiday Party! Today we have Sakamoto from the incredible indie band from Japan, Elekibass. The band hopes to release their new record in the US in 2009, which we here at Modern Mystery can’t wait for. Elekibass has toured with the likes of Casper and the Cookies, of Montreal and Calvin Don’t Jump which is super impressive.

Here’s to more Elekibass in 2009!

Sakamoto’s Top Favorites in General for 2008

of Montreal/Gronlandic Edit
The apples in stereo/ if you want to wear a hat
Casper&the Cookies/Hey Mr. Superstar
The Olivia Tremor Control/Courtyard
From Bubblegum To Sky/Operation Big Beat
Josh Rouse/Sunshine (Come On Lady)
The Minders/The Loneliest Of Faces
Nick Lowe/Hope For Us All
Sean Lennon/Parachute
Shimmer Kids Underpop Association/Full Color Love Affair

Everysong is great!! every song is No,1

Best Thing that Happened to You in 2008

This year elekibass’s new album recording is finish!!!!! 
I want to release it in the USA. We will release it in japan next year in April.